I love me a good walk. (Careful when you read that)

Admitting this may make me sound 20 or 30 years older than I actually am, but I make no apologies for unashamedly enthusing over the simple joys of walking. Perhaps it comes from growing up in Somerset, or from being an only child and enjoying my own company. Alternatively, it could be my natural kinship with nature. Or maybe I’m just insufferably boring.

These seem unlikely. I never went for walks as a child, one can easily spend time by oneself without walking, ask any dog that has ever interacted with me about my kinship with nature and just read through my twitter feed to discover that my life is anything but boring.

You can argue that it is naught but an exercise in futility if you will. But whatever the reasons, I believe that walking for its own sake is inherently good.

Running on the other hand, I will never understand. Just going out and running. I don’t get it.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not against running per se. I just feel it needs to be in its proper context.

For instance, I don’t mind running after stuff. After a ball, the bus that’s about to leave, a dog that’s chasing a herd of deer or Gareth Bale as he’s just skinned your right-back. Or if you’re late for a lecture. That I can cope with.

Equally, running away from stuff is also valid. A hungry lion, life’s responsibilities, a massive rolling stone, the ball in year 7 rugby lessons or the girl that wanted to dance with you at the primary school disco.

You see, running is for getting places quickly. If I go for a run, the place I aim to get to quickly is the place I’ve just left. The fastest way to do that would be to NOT GO FOR A RUN!

Walking is different though. Sure, as with running, the destination is the same place that you set off from. But that doesn’t matter – walking is all about enjoying the journey. How can you enjoy the journey when you’re out of breath, red and sweaty? You can’t. When you walk you can breathe in the crisp air and take in the sights; you can hear and smell life overflowing around you. You notice stuff. And when you get home you don’t need to take a shower.

Now at this point I could make some super serious point about how we should walk rather than run through life – enjoying the journey as we go along.

But I’m not going to. Because I’m just too angry about running. Stop it. All of you.